Saturdays, 9:30am to 4:30pm at Rose Clinic, Bray · €225 per couple
*Partially reclaimable through most health insurance policies (NMBI registered). A receipt is provided after your class.*
Full-Day Antenatal Class in Bray
One calm, unhurried Saturday to prepare for birth, feeding and the weeks that follow
It's completely normal to have a hundred questions as your due date gets closer. How will I know labour has started? How can my partner help on the day? What will those first feeds with our baby be like?
I'm Lola, a midwife and lactation consultant, and I created this one-day antenatal class so you could have all of those answers in one relaxed Saturday. We'll talk through labour, birth, feeding and recovery honestly and practically, with time to try labour positions, massage and feeding holds together. Groups are small, usually four to six couples, so there's always room for your questions, however big or small.
“I had a lot of anxiety about childbirth going in, but the class put my mind at ease. I feel more confident that I can do this, whatever path I choose.”
What we will cover on the day
Labour and birth
How labour begins and unfolds, when to call your maternity unit, and what to expect when you arrive. We'll also talk about induction, assisted birth and caesarean birth, so you feel ready for whichever way your baby arrives.
Comfort measures and pain relief
We'll practise positions, massage and breathing together, and go through every pain relief option, from water and TENS to gas and air and epidurals. You'll also learn a simple way to ask questions and make decisions when something is offered to you.
Your partner's role
Practical ways your partner can support you through labour and in the first days at home. Partners often tell me this is the part they valued most.
Meeting your baby
Skin-to-skin, the first feed, your baby's first checks, and what's normal to see in a newborn.
Breastfeeding and bottle feeding
How to get a deep, comfortable latch, which positions help in the early days, and how to know your baby is getting enough. We'll also cover bottle and combination feeding, so you have a good grounding whatever you choose.
Caring for your newborn
Cord care, bathing, jaundice, safe sleep, your baby's health checks, and when to seek help.
Your recovery and wellbeing
What healing looks like after a vaginal or caesarean birth, looking after your pelvic floor, and the emotional side of becoming parents, including when and how to reach out for support.
“Was an amazing day. Lola you are fantastic and very knowledgeable. No question was too silly. Felt comfortable throughout and I’m much happier going forward now with everything I learnt.”
What you'll take home
You'll leave with a 58-page booklet covering everything from the day, so you can look back over it as your due date gets closer. If questions come up in the weeks after, you can email me and I'll help where I can.
Tea and coffee are provided throughout the day, and we break for lunch, with plenty of lovely cafes nearby. The class is partially reclaimable through most health insurance policies, and I'll send you a receipt afterwards.
The class suits you best between 26 and 36 weeks, whether it's your first baby or you'd like a refresher.
Upcoming dates
Saturday 24 October · €225 per couple
Saturday 29 November · €195 with code EARLYBIRDNOV until 1 October, then €225
Places are limited to six couples, so it's worth booking once you've chosen your date.
If you're due in 2027, send me an email at lola@loladexter.com and I'll let you know when the next dates open.
A little about me
I trained as a midwife at Trinity College Dublin and worked on the postnatal wards and in theatre at the Rotunda, with time on one of Denmark's leading labour wards. I'm also a lactation consultant (IBCLC), a caesarean scar specialist, and I hold a qualification in perinatal mental health and birth trauma from Trinity. Most importantly, I'm also a mum of two, and even with all my training, becoming a parent showed me how different it all feels from the other side. That understanding shapes everything I teach, and I hope it helps you feel prepared and supported for the weeks ahead.
Finding us
Rose Clinic is at 2 Eglinton Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 H6V6. It's a short, easy walk from the DART station and the town centre, so you can come by train or by car.
By DART
Bray Daly station has direct trains from Dublin city centre (Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse), taking around 35 to 45 minutes. On Saturdays, trains run roughly every 15 minutes. From the station, walk up Florence Road away from the sea, and you'll find Eglinton Road on your right after a few minutes.
By car
Bray is about 35 to 45 minutes from Dublin via the M50 and M11. If you're coming from further afield, follow the M50 southbound and join the M11 towards Wexford, then take the exit for Bray.
Parking
The clinic doesn't have its own car park, but there's on-street parking on Eglinton Road and Florence Road. For a full day, Bray Central Car Park is the easiest option. It's just around the corner, with the entrance on Florence Road, and costs €13 per day.
Lunch
We break for lunch in the middle of the day. Bray Main Street and the seafront are both close by, with plenty of cafes, and some couples like to stretch their legs with a short walk by the sea before the afternoon session.
Couples often travel from Dublin and further afield for the class, since having everything covered in one day is easier to fit around work than weekly sessions.
Want More One-to-One Support?
Antenatal Class Add-On: €295
Extend your class with personalised, one-to-one care as you move from pregnancy into early feeding:
Antenatal Consultation (in clinic): a 75-minute one-to-one session to talk through your individual questions, birth preferences and any feeding concerns ahead of your baby's arrival.
Colostrum Harvesting (in clinic): hands-on guidance to help you hand express and store colostrum before birth, so you feel prepared from day one.
Postnatal Lactation Consultation (at home): a home visit once your baby has arrived, giving you relaxed, one-to-one feeding support in your own space during those early days.
Save €65 compared with booking each service separately (€360). You can add this when you book your class.
Each appointment can take place at home, at Rose Clinic or online, whichever suits you best. Home visits cover Wicklow, South Dublin and North Wexford. Get in touch for pricing if you'd like to change where your appointments take place.
If you'd prefer to prepare in your own home, you can also book a private antenatal session or, if you're planning a caesarean, a private caesarean preparation class.
FAQ
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Yes, €225 covers you and your partner, or you're welcome to bring a friend or family member, or come on your own.
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It's partially reclaimable through most policies, though cover varies, so it's worth checking with your provider. I'll send you a receipt after the class.
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Yes. Lots of parents come back for a refresher, especially after a caesarean or a difficult first birth.
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Get in touch and we'll work out the timing together. If a group date is too close to your due date, a private session might suit you better.
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Just yourselves, comfortable clothes you can move in, and any questions you'd like to ask.
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Get in touch as soon as you know your plans have changed and I'll do my best to help, whether that's moving you to another date or discussing your options.